The Carter Collection
by CarlaPeterLove
Summary: A Collection of mini-fics inspired by various songs from my never ending music collection. My latest update is inspired by Sinead O'Connor's Nothing Compares To You.
1. Part Of The List

_**This is just a little idea I've had for a few weeks now, so here goes… I listen to a LOT of music and sometimes I'll hear a certain verse/lyric or even an entire song and I'll just think "Omg that is perfect for Carla and Peter." So I thought why don't I write a little something about all these songs/lyrics and maybe create a little mini fic inspired by them?**_

 _ **There won't be a proper update schedule for this, in the sense that I'll probably just post one whenever a new song comes to me (Although I have a load that I can think of the top of my head.) or whenever I feel inspired, so that might be once a week or one every two weeks it'll just depend really.**_

 _ **I also thought it would be cool if any of you readers knew any songs or parts of songs, that you thought would be good for Carter than you could leave a suggestion in review section (that's if you review of course) and if I know the song than great but if I don't know the song then maybe I could give it a listen and then write a little something if I feel inspired by it.**_

 _ **I'll post the title of each song, the artist and the situation when mini-fic is set. So it could be at any time before or after their relationship and I may even make up some of my own situations as well.**_

 _ **So here's one to kick things off. Let me know what you think and if this something I should peruse or nah :)**_

 _ **Part Of The List By Ne-yo**_

 _ **Set: (In the present) Carla receives a letter.**_

* * *

Dear Carla, I know this is a bit old school of me but I've written you a letter and I hope that you will read it to the very end.

So I'll start with those stunning green eyes. The way that when I stared right into them, it was as if I could see right into your soul, it was as if I could understand everything about you, with just one look. I've never seen anyone with eyes that could even resemble yours and the first time I looked into them I knew that I probably never would see such beautiful eyes like that again.

The way you used to pretend that you didn't really give a toss about what you looked like but you'd always give your self the quick once over in the mirror before we'd go out. You'd always smooth down your clothes and touch up your make up, even though you really don't need any of it because you truly are the most beautiful woman in existence.

Your smile. The way that you had a least four different ones and I could always tell how you were feeling by each one. There's that dirty little smirk, the one where your lips are pressed together but the sparkle in your eyes would tell me that you're definitely thinking about something naughty.

The "I'm okay." Smile, The one that you would always put on when you didn't want people to know just how much you were hurting and how it works for almost everyone, well everyone except me because I can see right through that smile, I can see the sadness within it and so whenever I saw that smile on you, it would always be my ultimate mission to get rid of it.

Your ridiculously cheesy smile, that one where you're bearing all your perfect teeth and one that granted, I didn't see as often as the others but it was still my favourite because it was so bright that it could light up New York City after dark and when ever I saw that smile I knew that you were truly happy.

Your preposterously cute laugh.

Oh and also the look on your face when I tell a really bad joke and you're trying desperately not to show me that you're finding it funny.

The way that whenever you're feeling anxious, or worried or sometimes when you're just plain bored that you play with your bracelets. You pull at the charms or move them up and down your arm and I always wonder if you know just how much you actually fiddle with them.

Your thumbnail, the left one and the way that it was always slightly shorter than your others ones because of the way you bite down on it. I don't know if you realise that's another thing that you do when you're feeling agitated about something and I wonder if you know it would drive me crazy every time I saw you do it.

When we would lay on the sofa and listen to music for hours on end and the way that you would take the complete mick out of my music taste but be singing along to the songs I chose without a care in the world, only minutes later.

Those sweet and sometimes sad stories that you would tell me about your childhood. The ones about the few good times you and Rob had and also the ones you would tell about the sad times and how it was okay because I was always able to dry your tears and put that gorgeous smile back on your face within minutes.

The way whenever we were sat next to each other whether it was in the pub, at home, at me Dad's, that you would always have to be touching me, holding my hand or sat with my arms draped around your neck.

How close I would be to your body when we would sit like that and the way I felt so honoured to be seen with you in my arms.

The way you always seemed so happy to be seen with me also, that wherever we were you would smile proudly to yourself when you thought I wasn't looking.

The taste of your lips.

The touch of your lips.

The way you bite your lip when trying hard not to lose all control of any situation.

Basically… everything about your lips if I'm honest.

The sweet smell that would linger behind you after you would leave my side and the way that if I laid with you for long enough your smell would become my smell.

The love and dedication you have for your work and just how good you are at your job.

How you pretend those employees of yours get on your nerves but really you love each and every one of them and how you would never let any of them come to any harm no matter what.

The way you drive… I mean you drive like a mad woman but somehow you always seem to make it out like everyone else on the road is a bad driver and you're just driving normally.

How you always insist that you're this strong ice queen and how I was the only one who was allowed to see you melt.

The way that you pretend that you like to watch such grown up films and TV programs but I know that you secretly used to love raiding Simon's DVD collection whenever you got the chance to.

How hard that you try to connect with Simon and also the image of you two sitting next to each other on the sofa, engrossed in one of those films that you had pretended to not like.

Your beautiful mind.

That beauty spot...that one that no one else can see because it's in a place that you never have on show.

Our play fights and the way you would tell me not to tickle you, when I know you so desperately wanted me to, just so we would have an excuse to get closer to each other again.

The amount of shoes you own and the way Steve and me used to compare you and Michelle's shoe collections.

Your feisty attitude and the way that you can send a chill up my spine with just one look.

Your amazing ability to think of a nickname for someone only minutes after meeting them.

The way that you loved me, kissed me, hugged me and essentially made me feel like the luckiest man alive.

Have you guessed what they are yet?

Those things that I mentioned, they're all part of a list.

Of things that I miss.

I could go on forever, I could write until I'm out of ink but I think this will do… for now anyway. The thing is though I come up with a new thing every single time I let myself think about you, so who knows maybe someday soon you may receive another one of these.

Yours Forever

Peter

xx


	2. Give Me Love

**Give Me Love By Ed Sheeran**

 **Set: (Pre Carla & Peter)**

 **Fun Fact: This is one of my favourite songs ever, Also Demi Lovato has done an amazing cover of it too, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already.**

 **(Thanks to those who reviewed Chapter one, I wrote this one last last night after my plans to go out and get drunk, flopped at the last minute.)**

* * *

So it appears that recently, I've found me self a partner in crime, I've found an unexpected ally, I've found a friend in non other than Peter Barlow. He saw me at an AA meeting and the rest as they say is history. It makes sense I guess, he's a recovering alcoholic and I'm trying to be a recovering alcoholic. Yes, I am actually calling myself an alcoholic now and I'd call that progress.

He's made me face reality, he's made me see that I do have a problem.

When Peter first took it upon himself to stick his nose in, I tried to push him away but he's one of those annoying kind of guys, the ones who really surprise you because they are actually decent, he said he just wanted to help me and now that I've let him in, I've got to admit he's quite nice.

I mean I always knew he were a good guy, he's me best mates fella after all, so I ave spent a fare bit of time with him before, but now that I've spent some time with him alone… Wow.

He's really something.

He's not like the other guys I know, he doesn't seem to pay more attention to me front, rather than me actual face and he's actually a riot to be around, in fact I don't think there's a time that I've spoken to him recently, where I aven't laughed at something ridiculous he has said.

I like him, I'm glad he's my friend.

 **X**

We ran into each other tonight, just on the street as usual but he told me to wait for him and we ended up going to the pub. He's so popular in there and everybody just seems to love him. Time went by so quick, we were just larking about like we always do and then somehow, whilst we were round the back of The Rover's and whilst Peter was having a fag, we started singing Frank Sinatra songs at the top of our lungs.

I'm no singer and neither is Barlow but it were actually a lot of fun and I'd never admit this to anyone but Peter really suits smoking, I was almost transfixed by the way he parted his lips so that he could keep his cigarette steady and talk at the same time, I was so captivated by him that I could ave stayed there breathing in that horrible stuff, all night long if it had meant I could stay by his side.

Woah...

Okay so that sounds a little on the cheesy side, A lot on the cheesy side actually but anyways, now I remember why we were singing, he said he wanted to do his and Leanne's first dance to Fly Me To The Moon. I didn't think too much of it at first but now the idea of Peter's first dance with Leanne is making my insides go all funny.

I don't know why I feel that way but I really try to ignore it.

Ha, Imagine Peter dancing though, I bet he'd be useless.

Or would he? I guess I wouldn't know, I've never actually seen the man dance.

Great, so now its got me embarrassingly thinking about what it would be like to dance with Peter but I made sure that I didn't show him just how insane my thoughts had become. We went back inside but he went off and left me shortly after that, it was shame because I really was starting to enjoy myself.

 **X**

Okay… So it's the next day and I'm ere with me hair done, in a brand new dress, at the opening of The Joinery, This is me best mates new wine bar for gods sake, so why do I feel so shitty?

Why am I stood at the bar staring over at Leanne and Peter, in this foul mood?

He's smiling at her so proudly, so lovingly and it reminds me of the way he always speaks about her. He clearly adores her and it makes me so damn jealous.

I wish someone would give me love like her's.

Give me a man who can make me laugh all of the time and yet can still look out for me when the tears start to fall.

Give me someone like him… In fact give me him.

Crap.

It's him.

He's the reason I'm feeling so rubbish, he's the reason I feel that awful feeling in my stomach right now. I watch him as he mingles around the room, he's so charming to everyone and I'm just aching for him to come and speak to me.

He eventually does come over to me and we chat, it's just basic chit chat, nothing special at first, he's fiddling about with this toothpick and I swear to god, I've never felt so jealous of such a tiny a piece of wood in my life.

Peter gets me, he really gets me.

He's the only one who knows what it's like to be stood ere surrounded by alcohol and not be able to drink it. I ask him if he ever feels tempted to go back on the booze and y'know what he said? He said that he doesn't feel tempted anymore because now he's got something to live for.

He's so obviously talking about Leanne... And that little sprog Simon of course.

And what ave I got eh? Well it seems I've got it pretty damn bad for my best mates fella thats what.

It's not fair, how did I not see how perfect he is? How funny, how good looking and how god damn sexy he is.

I want him for my self, I want to take him home with me, I'm done with waking up alone.

He soon goes back over to Leanne, She's my best friend and I actually feel like I hate her, I don't of course but as she kisses him and fawns all over him, I reach out and take a glass of the free champagne that I've been saying no to all night.

I down that bubbly liquid again and again. He doesn't notice, of course he doesn't notice me at all, because he's got perfect little Leanne.

I leave this poncy little wine bar and try to head home.

Hours later and I'm in trouble. So I end up calling him, well I give the police his name and they call him, they call him because the levels of alcohol in my bloodstream are too high and I've been caught driving my car at a ridiculous speed.

I was only trying to get as far away from Peter as possible and now he's ere to take me home.

He's in my flat now, he's pottering about, making me a poxy cup of earl grey and he's actually mentioning how Leanne likes earl grey too.

Oh god why does he ave to mention her for? I don't want her name brought up ere in my flat.

He's so persistent tonight, he just keeps asking me what it was that made me drink? what made me do it? God I wish that he would just give me some time to understand these feelings that I'm so suddenly having.

He was sitting behind before but now he's gotten up and sat down right in front of me.

Oh Kill me now.

It's no good, he's not gonna go, he's just gonna keep asking, so in the end I tell him, I tell him just how much he's gotten under my skin and by the stunned look on his stupidly handsome face, he had absolutely no idea.

I went to hide in the bathroom for a little bit, in the pure hope that he would leave and it wouldn't have to be so awkward, but he's still ere.

He tells me he's flattered, then he tells me that I'm gorgeous, off the scale in fact.

God he is such a smooth talker, why can't he be mine?

We then chat a bit more and soon he gets closer to me, way closer than he should be. I want him so bad and y'know what? I think he wants me… Even if it's just a little bit, he wants me.

I need to do this, I need to taste those lips.

I close my eyes and lean in, I don't think about Leanne or that she's me best mate and I'm practically throwing myself at her man.

Our lips meet and he is kissing me back, Thank god he is kissing me back.

It's all over within a few seconds and he then tells me that he's sorry. There are tears in my eyes but I fight them as he continues to apologise and say that it's his fault because he is giving me "mixed signals."

He says he doesn't want to lose my friendship and he tells me that we can help each other. It's all just excuses though and eventually I manage to get him to leave but I know that this isn't over.

I Know that this "friendship" is doomed and I still wish that I had a love like Leanne's…

 **X**

It's months down the line, it's been a while since I told Peter how I feel. A lot's changed since then. He married her in the end, even though he found out that she had been cheating with Nick, He still married her and now she's pregnant. When I found out I were gutted but I'm trying to move on, I really am.

I've even got a new man in me life called Frank, he's done a lot for me and the business and when I was drunkenly driving and hit Leanne's Mum in the process, he pretended it was him… He's a really good guy so I could do a lot worse, so yeah as I said, a lot's changed, in fact the only thing that is still the same, is my feelings for Peter.

I crave his touch so much, I constantly seek him out, I wait for him in places that I think he might be and then one day I hear about what happened to Leanne and her baby.

Their baby.

I'm a selfish bitch.

He has just lost his unborn child and yet I still fight my way into his flat, I still have the nerve to remind him just how much I love him and then I kiss him again.

He responds to my touch properly this time, it's heated, it's beautifully passionate and it's oh so painful when he eventually comes to his senses and pulls away from me, again.

I know I had to let him go. It's only right that he goes back to his wife and that I go back to Frank.

I'll fight my feelings for Peter for some more, I ave to, I ave no choice.

 **X**

Everything is different now for sure. My life will never ever be the same again. I don't even feel safe in me own home any more, I've been raped, humiliated and then made out to be a liar, on top of that Leanne's found out that I almost accidentally killed her Mother and I know that she's just waiting to call the police on me. I wouldn't blame her to be honest, I'd deserve it and I know that she knows I want him, she knows exactly how I feel about that man of hers.

Peter still continues to fight my corner everyday but I just can't do it anymore.

I can't go to prison and not see him.

I can't keep seeing Frank everyday and be reminded what he did to me, what he took from me.

I have nothing left and this is all too much.

I drown my blood in alcohol and then I drown it in god knows what ever these tablets are called.

The world around me slowly begins to deteriorate as I stumble around my lonely flat and pick up the phone.

I call Peter and it's suddenly as if my legs can no longer carry me, because I crash onto the ground below me.

It all becomes hazy and confusing as he answers my phone call, my very last phone call that is.

I know I'm not making much sense, I know my brain is telling my lips to say certain words but they just aren't coming out quite right. It's like the connection between my mind and my body parts is failing.

This is it.

I'm finally on my way out of this nightmare but before I say goodbye, before I manage to get those last words out, I tell Peter I'm sorry, I tell him to tell Leanne that I'm Sorry because I truly am.

Sorry that all I wanted was a love like hers.

I just wanted him to love me.

Love me.

Love.

Me.


	3. Nothing Compares To You

**Nothing Compares To You By Sinead O'Connor**

 **Set: (In The Present) Carla decides to tell a certain someone just how different her life is without him. (Idk whether this is a letter, email or very long text message but you catch my drift... I hope.)**

* * *

It's been eight months, thirteen days and twenty one hours since you left.

Since you took your love away.

That's if I don't include all that time you were in prison or the time we spent apart before that, of course.

If I include that time then it's a hell of a lot longer since I last felt your presence properly and I really don't want it to acknowledge the fact that its been more than a year since me and you were torn apart.

I'm also not taking account of the fact that you came back to Manchester almost two weeks ago and that you didn't even come looking for me.

You were back in Weatherfield and you didn't even try to make contact with me.

I saw you from a far, I knew you were there and I could have gone the other way.

I could have took a detour to work but I timed it perfectly, so that you would see me.

You saw me.

I know you did.

I mean I walked right past you for god sake!

How dare you not talk to me?

How dare you not scream my name?

How dare you not run straight across that road and beg me to reconsider not taking you back?

How dare you not even look at me in the eye?

How dare you pretend I was just a stranger?

Now don't get me wrong... I know that you didn't come back to Coronation Street for me.

I know that you were here to bury your Step Mother and I know that for me to be thinking this way is ridiculously selfish but I don't care.

Not one little bit.

Since you've been gone from my life… well life has seemed to have just gone from me.

Does that make sense?

I don't think you'll understand what I'm saying here so let me explain.

This is how my life goes...

I go out most nights, I go to casinos, I spend money that I don't really have and I drink drinks that I really shouldn't be drinking.

I get home at ridiculous o clock, I get up when I want, stroll into work when I want and then when it's over, I go out again.

It's become a rather vicious circle you see.

I mean I can do whatever the hell I want these days, I can drink what I want, eat what I want and yet… nothing, nothing takes away the pure agony that I feel on a daily basis.

Not the gambling. Not the drink.

Nothing.

Tell me something.

Where did I go wrong?

Please tell me because I honestly thought I was a good wife to you.

I mean granted I didn't cook and clean much and sometimes I acted like some high maintenance diva but I loved you more than anyone else on the planet ever could.

I understood you better than you even understood your self sometimes, Well… I thought I did but maybe I didn't after all.

Maybe it was incredibly naive to have believed that I was enough for you.

I know that our relationship was no picnic.

I know that sometimes it was hard, sometimes it was downright difficult but you know what, as I sit here and think about everything we went through and everything we did together… I would do anything thing to be able to go back and do it all again.

How screwed up it that? That I would go through all that horrible stuff just so that I could have the good stuff.

Y'know I could go out right now and I could wrap my arms around every man I see.

I know how some of the men around here look at me and I know that if I gave some of em half a chance, they would have me in a heartbeat.

I could go out and see that certain someone who has been showing me quite a bit of interest recently.

I could kiss him passionately, just like I did all those weeks ago and I reckon if I tried really hard I could probably even convince him to leave his girlfriend for me, but I know that deep down… that eventually man would just end up reminding me of you, he would end up reminding me how much I miss you.

I could go out with Michelle instead, I could sit in the pub with her and to the untrained eye, it might even look like I'm laughing the night away but it's not what it seems.

I'm only pretending to have fun.

You've probably heard how much everyone despises me round here and I don't blame em to be honest.

They probably think that I don't really give a stuff but in reality I do.

I care what they have to say about me.

I care that they hate me.

In reality I am in so much pain and I am incredibly lonely.

I know I shouldn't rely on a man, or anyone else for that matter, to keep me happy but I do.

I just don't know what to do with myself anymore and when I'm alone in those early hours, when the alcohol I've been downing starts to leave my system, when the money has run out, when I'm no longer getting attention from the guy who owns the local restaurant and when I've stopped pretending to have fun, nothing can stop those tears from falling.

Nothing.

Do you know why?

It's because nothing compares to you Peter Barlow and nothing that I ever do, will make me feel the way I did when I was with you.

Nothing.


End file.
